]]>Mike and Tom Eat Snacks #96: Grapeshttp://nerdist.com/mike-and-tom-eat-snacks-96-episode-96/
Mon, 10 Aug 2015 14:00:15 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=288895The one and only Mike and Tom are back with a new snack!

]]>This Week on the Nerdist Podcast Network: John Cusack, Mike Judge, Allison Janney, and more….http://nerdist.com/this-week-on-the-nerdist-podcast-network-john-cusack-mike-judge-allison-janney-and-more/
Fri, 05 Jun 2015 22:00:59 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=262236What did we have on the Nerdist Podcast Network this week? Good stuff. Like:

John Cusack came on the Nerdist Podcast to promote the Brian Wilson biopic Love and Mercy, and, yes, they talk about the Beach Boys legend and whether an artist has to suffer to make great art, but also working for passion versus money, horror movies, The Prisoner, road trips, and his early movies.

Mike Judge was finally on the Nerdist Podcast, and he was worth the wait. Mike takes it all the way back to the beginning, including how he decided that he could do animation, sending out VHS tapes, talking to the Kids in the Hall, and the Milton and Inbred Jed shorts that led to Beavis and Butt-head, Office Space, and more. And then there’s Silicon Valley and the origins of the epic dick joke in the first season finale. If that doesn’t make you want to listen, I don’t know you anymore.

Allison Janney guested on the Nerdist Podcast. You’ll get the true story about that Critics Choice Awards ceremony kiss with James Corden, her thoughts on social media, tasteful placement of awards statuettes, playing CJ on The West Wing, and Katie’s dog Scout, because awww. Allison’s in Spy, in theaters this weekend, and CBS’ Mom, of course.

What else? Well, Dante Basco was the latest of the Boys of Summer to visit The JV Club. Orphan Black production designer John Dondertman and actress (and Mackenzie’s mom) Sheila McCarthy joined Mackenzie and Rob on the Clonecast. Entymologist Phil Torres and comics Kyle Kinane and Nicole Byer talked creepy crawly buggy things on this month’s Hound Tall Discussion Series with Moshe Kasher. Sandra and Erika Moen served up comedy from Matt Kirshen and Kira Soltanovich and talked about stripping with Hazel and the Baroness on a recorded-live-in-Portland edition of Sex Nerd Sandra. Ron Funches came back for another round of gaming stuff on The Indoor Kids. Writer Chris Sparling (Buried, ATM) talked about writing Gus Van Sant’s new The Sea of Trees on Nerdist Writers Panel. Comics Graham Kay and Gabi Conti handed out knowledge with Razzle on Today We Learned. And filmmaker, artist, and UFO expert Jeremy Kenyon Lockyer Corbell was Jess and Bowser’s guest on Bizarre States. Guess what he talked about?

And more what else: After counting down ten things they love last week, Kevin and Steve drank some Haterade to list 10 things they hate on Chewin’ It. Cash and T.J. did their thing live in Atlanta on Cashing In with T.J. Miller. The Legacy Music Hour did another Free Play. Food addiction — what causes it, what to do about it — was the lead topic on Pro You. K of the Cosmos led a belated April Fool’s edition of Thrilling Adventure Hour. And Mike and Tom ate something for you, the viewers on Mike and Tom Eat Snacks.

]]>This Week on the Nerdist Podcast Network: Noel Gallagher, Stephen Tobolowsky, Alicia Witt and more…http://nerdist.com/this-week-on-the-nerdist-podcast-network-noel-gallagher-stephen-tobolowsky-alicia-witt-and-more/
Fri, 29 May 2015 22:00:20 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=259211This week on the Nerdist Podcast Network was a parade of great stories from great storytellers, including one of the Battling Gallagher Bros., Ned Ryerson, Wendy from Justified (or Cybill‘s daughter, if you want to go back a ways), and many more. To wit:

Noel Gallagher on You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes? It happened this week. From rock stardom with Oasis to quitting music and quitting drugs and alcohol, Noel opens up in a show full of anecdotes any Oasis fan, or music fan, or anyone else should hear. And if that wasn’t enough, David O’Doherty, T.J. Miller, Emily Heller, and Kate Berlant joined Pete for a bonus You Made It Weird recorded live in Austin at the Moontower Comedy Festival.

Speaking of storytelling, Alicia Witt brought music to the Nerdist Podcast in what amounted to a “MTV Storytellers”-style walk through Alicia’s musical history. The last time she was on the show, Alicia talked about her acting, but this time, it’s a piano, some mics, and singing as well as talking. We found out some of Alicia’s unusual favorite artists, playing the piano vs. guitar vs. harp, and a lot more.

And despite the holiday-shortened week, we got a We got a hostful Nerdist Podcast, too, a bonus for Thursday. Like the last hostful, they all got back from vacation, so there’s a lot of that, and the idea of a podcast band comes up, so there’s that.

Kumail and Emily welcomed Nate Fernald to The Indoor Kids, and otters were involved. Yes, otters in a hot tub, and cats in general, the latter courtesy of a game that features cats being cats. Lots more gaming talk, too. (I admit it, I wasted plenty of time on the cat game — wasted time because I have a cat, so I don’t need a game to observe aimless wandering and 3 AM wake-up meows.)

“The Boys of Summer” are back on The JV Club, and first up this year was Colin Hanks. They throw Latin phrases around! Also, you HAVE to go watch the ESPN 30 for 30 short Colin made about the Crazy Crab, the (deliberately) worst sports mascot ever.

Still more: Clonecast recapped this season’s sixth episode of Orphan Black with actor Dylan Bruce and VFX supervisor Geoff Scott, with talk about what happened to Paul and why. Those experts in the paranormal and alcohol consumption, Frank and Sadie Doyle, returned on a new Thrilling Adventure Hour. Laura Dreyfuss — Madison on Glee — talked about pop culture stuff and Broadway stuff and TV and boxing and other stuff on Pop My Culture. Comics writer Brenden Fletcher (Gotham Academy, Batgirl, and Black Canary) talked about writing for the extended Gotham City universe on Nerdist Comics Panel, recorded at WonderCon. Actress Joey King and Razzle ‘n’ Dan dropped some random facts on Today We Learned, including the existence of grief bacon. Oh, and Mike and Tom were back in a long-awaited return of Mike and Tom Eat Snacks.

So, go listen! There’s nothing stopping you from going to the Nerdist Podcast Network homepage to listen and subscribe, and also joining us at the Nerdist Podcast Network Facebook page, so do it already. Don’t Look Back in Anger (ding!) because you missed anything; you aren’t going to Live Forever (ding), and by now you should’ve somehow realized what you gotta do (ding)… okay, I’ll stop before I figure out how to work “She’s Electric” into this.

]]>Mike and Tom Eat Snacks #94: Crunch ‘n Munchhttp://nerdist.com/mike-and-tom-eat-snacks-94-episode-94/
Mon, 25 May 2015 12:00:52 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=257659The one and only Mike and Tom get together for a special snack!

]]>Exclusive: Grant Gustin and THE FLASH Cast Look Ahead to Season 2!http://nerdist.com/exclusive-grant-gustin-and-the-flash-cast-look-ahead-to-season-2/
Wed, 20 May 2015 05:15:10 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=255927It’s here, my fellow fans of The Flash. The moment we’ve hoped for and dreaded since Grant Gustin’s Scarlet Speedster first ran across our TV screens back in October: the season finale. But before saying goodbye to this miraculous first season of action, comedy, romance, time travel, psychic gorillas, and good old-fashioned superhero fun, I’d like to share with you some exclusive chats I recently had with the show’s cast. So, buckle up for interviews including Barry Allen/The Flash himself (the affable Gustin), the cunning Doctor Harrison Wells/The Reverse-Fash (Tom Cavanagh), the stalwart Detective Eddie Thawne (Rick Cosnett), and the brilliant Dr. Caitlin Snow (Danielle Panabaker). Here are their thoughts on the epic season 1 AND the already anxiously awaited second season…

Grant Gustin

Nerdist:Barry’s gone through an amazing journey this season. As we approach the end, what’s motivating him? Is it primarily his mother’s murder?

Grant Gustin: Barry is someone who obviously wears his heart on his sleeve, at least the way I’m portraying him. [Laughs.] That’s what ultimately underlying and driving Barry. But now he’s got Caitlin in his life, he’s got Cisco in his life. He’s there for them now too, and a lot of times they’re driving him in a given situation. It depends on what he’s focusing on, what’s right in front of him. But what’s driving Barry ultimately is finding Reverse-Flash, being ready for him, being strong enough to face him, and understanding what happened and why it happened.

N:Once those questions are answered, will Barry have to redefine himself?

GG: That’s how TV series generally work. There will be a new motive and tone, moving on after that. I’m sure Barry will find some more confidence and be one step closer to that Flash we know from the comics, for sure.

N:Will there be more karaoke on the show? If so, are we talking Saturday Night Fever or Xanadu soundtrack?

GG: [Laughs.] Any John Travolta, yeah. Any John Travolta… I don’t know. I hope so. That was definitely one of my favorite episodes. I hope we do a lot more of that in season 2.

Tom Cavanagh

Nerdist:Even though Barry has discovered Harrison Wells’ long-held secret, apparently we’ll still be seeing Tom Cavanagh in season 2…

Tom Cavanagh: In the mythology, the guy is the Reverse-Flash. So while they’re telling the story of the Flash, they still need the dark in order to put the light in. So I don’t think the Reverse-Flash is going anywhere… It would be great if you were like, “Hey, so that’s it, huh?” And I’m like, “Wait, what do you know, Nerdist? What the hell?!” “Yeah, I hope you make money on your podcast now.” “What? No, I don’t make any money on Mike and Tom Eat Snacks. As you should know, Nerdist!” [Laughs.]

N:It’s been great to see Wells inject a little humor as well as menace into the show. Your impersonation of Back to the Future‘s Doc Brown was a hoot.

TC: Okay, so that was a complete improv… [As Christopher Lloyd] “If my calculations are correct…” I was just f–ing around. Then the next thing you know, people are literally like… I’m getting text messages from buddies, “Yeah, Doc Brown lives!” I’m like, “What are these guys talking about?” Because that was like five weeks after we’d shot the thing and I literally did not know what the hell anyone was talking about. Then they leave it in. That’s the great thing — when you do anything that’s funny and they put that in, it makes me have a lot of faith. Because I think one of the hidden weapons on our show is we try not to take it too seriously. You can do a graphic novel and you can also laugh while you’re doing it. In my own personal tastes, the people who make you laugh… I look at the first Iron Man for example. There’s so much humor in that. That will cause me to align with you quicker than anything. So yeah, I’m completely on board with that stuff. I love it when we’re funny.

N:As far as the cast goes, have you formed a little bit of an improv troupe?

TC: Carlos is non-stop jokes, and a lot of that then comes out. Because you know each other very well. And also, our set is [pointing to castmates]… Broadway. Broadway. Jesse, Broadway. Grant, Broadway-in-waiting, Glee. For very serious subject matter, there’s way too much singing going on. [Laughs.] We love it. It’s great. It’s a very enjoyable thing. And bonding and the way we get along, I think, helps the humor that occasionally pops its head up on the show.

N:As far as the Reverse-Flash goes, we’ve seen him, with perhaps one exception, perform as a solo act thus far. Would you like to see him team up with other villains moving forward?

TC: Oh, yeah. I think that’s the domain of this genre. And I completely welcome it. You look at Flashpoint and some of the alternate universe stories. Like, how great would that be? When all these guys are together. We did a [commercial] recently where myself and Mick Rory, Captain Cold, a bunch of guys were all teaming up, getting together to fight the good guys in a Fight Club scenario. I was like, “Let’s bring that on.” We had so much fun doing it.

N: You appear very familiar with the comics. How much comics reading did you do prior to signing on for the role?

TC: In as far as The Flash is concerned, I thought I was extremely knowledgeable. Until I got in with these guys and realized I was the dumbest guy in the room. [Laughs.] They just know so much, and they’ll just throw it at you. You’re like, “Huh? What?” Geoff Johns is current keeper of the flame. Their knowledge is annoyingly rampant. I don’t compare, but it’s been a humbling education. I enjoy it.

N:I ask because you’re quicker to drop some comic titles than the rest of the cast.
TC: That’s because I’m less modest than the rest of the cast. That’s all it is. I have no humility barometer. That’s all. [Laughs.]

Rick Cosnett

Nerdist:You’ve spent most of this season with many fans thinking you were the Reverse-Flash, because of your character’s last name…

Rick Cosnett: Everyone asked me if I’m the Reverse-Flash. Everyone. Obviously with a name like Thawne, there’s a huge scope for what can happen. And we all know Andrew and Greg love to flip things on their head. They love to surprise people. Let’s just say things are going to unravel in a huge way. And by the end of season 1, you guys are gonna be shocked as hell.

N:Should he return next season, would you like for Eddie to get in on the karaoke action?

RC: It’s very underrated. And I feel like it would be a big surprise. It would come from left field. It’s a bit of a tribute to Toni Collette from me. [Laughs.]

Danielle Panabaker

Nerdist:You and Grant have had a terrific chemistry on screen. You’ve probably seen Twitter fill up with #Snowbarry. What are your thoughts on that? Would you like to see them develop a romantic relationship at some point?

Danielle Panabaker: I think it would be interesting to see them have a relationship. They both sort of have bonded over these loves that they can’t be with. And they do have a really special connection. Hopefully we will get a chance to explore that at some point.

N: You guys have done a lot without saying a lot, in the way you look at each other and communicate through body language.
DP: Yeah, and I feel very lucky. Because Grant and I do get along so well, and we get to play with that stuff together.

DP: When he left, it was a much more peaceful thing. Because he’s dealing with his own stuff right now. That’s a challenge, and he’s got to do it in his own way. Obviously she’s sad not to be with him, but she understands. He’s always just a phone call away. He’s just got to drag that Martin Stein along with him. [Laughs.]
N: When you signed on for the role, did you do much comics research?

DP: A little bit. I definitely read The Flash book and got my handle on what was going on.
N: Did you read much about Killer Frost?

DP: Not too much. We’re not there yet. I have a lot of trust in the writers and faith in them, so I rely on them to introduce things to us. I would love to add that dynamic. Absolutely. I’m really excited by the potential of Killer Frost.

N: With the spinoff [Legends of Tomorrow] on the horizon, are there more venues and opportunities than ever for her to appear?

DP: I am really excited about the spinoff. It’s all really wonderful people involved, who I adore, and it would be great to have them around and to get to continue to work with them. I don’t know if the spinoff means Killer Frost will happen any sooner. I think it will happen on The Flash, and I think it’ll happen sooner than you think.

N: Is there anything else you wish for Caitlin in season 2?

DP: I don’t know that I have a wishlist. I love seeing her outside of S.T.A.R. Labs. She really excels there, but it’s nice to see her other places too. I love playing those moments. It’s really fun.

—

What were your favorite moments from The Flash‘s first season? Let us know below!

]]>This Week on the Nerdist Podcast Network: WORKAHOLICS, The Chive, Brian Michael Bendis, Mutant Enemy and more…http://nerdist.com/this-week-on-the-nerdist-podcast-network-workaholics-the-chive-brian-michael-bendis-mutant-enemy-and-more/
Fri, 20 Mar 2015 22:00:12 +0000http://nerdist.com/?p=233840What was served up by the Nerdist Podcast Network this week? Here you go:

Comic writing legend Brian Michael Bendis guested on the Nerdist Podcast as the PlayStation Network version of Powers arrived, and he gave advice on getting into the comic writing biz, his family, writing for the Marvel Universe, and lots and lots about comics, period.

There’s also a Hostful Nerdist Podcast coming, although at this writing (early Friday), it’s not ready yet. When it is, you’ll hear Chris, Jonah, and Matt talking about The Jinx, parents, temper triggers, and Matt’s big personal news, to which I can only say, Mazel Tov, Matt and Doree. Also, “Porch Dick.” You’ll find it here when it posts.

The Nerdist Writers Panel hosted an epic Mutant Enemy writers’ room reunion and Joss Whedon celebration with (deep breath): David Greenwalt (Buffy seasons 1-3; co-creator of Angel; later work includes co-creating Grimm), Marti Noxon (Buffy seasons 2-7; Angel; later work includes co-creating Un-Real and developing Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce), David Fury (Buffy seasons 2-7; Angel seasons 1-5; later work includes Lost, 24, Fringe, Tyrant), Jane Espenson (Buffy seasons 3-7; Angel; Firefly; later work includes Once Upon a Time, co-creating Husbands), Tracey Forbes (Buffy seasons 4-5; later work includes co-creating CBC’s Cracked), Steven DeKnight (Buffy seasons 5-7; Angel seasons 4-5; Dollhouse; later work includes creating Spartacus, showrunning Netflix’s Daredevil), Drew Z. Greenberg (Buffy seasons 5-7; Firefly; Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.; later work includes Warehouse 13, Arrow), Drew Goddard (Buffy seasons 6-7; Angel; director/co-writer, The Cabin in the Woods; later work includes Lost, Daredevil, upcoming Sinister Six movie), Elizabeth Craft (Angel; co-showrunner, Dollhouse; later work includes The Vampire Diaries, The 100). You get everything: how the Buffy staff came together, Joss’ vision for the shows, the way the rooms were set up and worked, the philosophy of “don’t give them what they want, give them what they need,” and lots more. If you’re a Joss Whedon fan or interested at all in television writing, it’s an essential episode.

The Indoor Kids came to you live from Meltdown Comics for the Ori and the Blind Forest launch party, and besides interviewing the devs about the game and its inspirations, Kumail and Emily delve into the metaphorical implications of Tetris and Pong. This has changed my entire perspective on my youth.

]]>http://nerdist.com/mike-and-tom-eat-snacks-93-episode-93/feed/4This Week on the Nerdist Podcast Network: Weird Al Meets Pete Holmes, Inside Network TV, and more….http://nerdist.com/this-week-on-the-nerdist-podcast-network-weird-al-meets-pete-holmes-inside-network-tv-and-more/
Sun, 08 Feb 2015 03:00:09 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=224708One of the great things about podcasts is how portable they are: No matter where you are and when you want them, they’re ready, on demand, to entertain you. I’m mentioning this because I’m on the road at a radio conference, and the Nerdist Podcast Network is here with me, with a bunch of great shows to help pass the time while I was stuck at LAX waiting to board an hours-delayed flight, or stuck in traffic, or… you get the idea. This week, we learned all about network TV from the people who know it from the inside, heard what happens when Weird Al meets Pete Holmes, enjoyed the Broken Lizard view of romance, heard Paul Williams talk about recovery, and eavesdropped on Chris Hardwick and Pauly Shore talking about the MTV of yore. Pretty good traveling companions, right?

CBS’s Bryan Seabury, Sony’s Chris Parnell, and Caitlin Foito of ABC Studios joined the Nerdist Writers Panel for some illuminating talk about the development process for network TV, how it works, how THEY work, and how they got where they are. They run through the basics of how network TV works — how the networks basically rent shows rather then own them outright — and how the pitch process works. You want to know what makes a successful pitch? Maybe nobody really knows, but the discussion sheds light on how to do it right. Anyone who’s ever thought about writing for network TV, or is just interested in how it all works, should listen to this one.

This week on Chewin’ It with Kevin and Steve, the guys did their version of an early Valentine’s Day show, answering questions from the “Lady Chew Crew.” Okay, first, they talk about the Super Bowl, but who wouldn’t? Once the Valentine’s talk commences, it’s all about romance, how they met their wives, how they proposed, “girly” drinks, and the “world famous nun joke.” Okay, it’s not quite all Valentine’s-related.

Kumail and Emily soloed (wait, there are two of them. That’s not technically solo) on The Indoor Kids again this week, with more Super Bowl talk, a rundown of new movie trailers (I knew they’d get to the Furious 7 trailer with the car flying through buildings), and, of course, games, including Never Alone, before they go deep into old video game commercials. The nostalgia factor is at 11.

Paul Williams was awesome on his first Nerdist Podcast appearance, and he returned with his friend and “Gratitude and Trust” co-author Tracey Jackson for a discussion on addiction and recovery that will inspire you. But there’s also room for the story of how they met, with a cameo from Robert Mitchum and… well, let’s just say that the first meeting was not promising. But they later became friends and they’ve done a lot of work spreading the word about recovery.

Of course, Chris and Pauly Shore reminisced about life at MTV back in the day when The Weasel dropped by the Nerdist Podcast. That’s a really interesting discussion, but so is the part about Pauly growing up at his mom’s club, the renowned Comedy Store, and he’s open and affecting when discussing dealing with his mother’s illness and making his recent documentary Pauly Shore Stands Alone for Showtime. Sure, there’s talk about his movies, especially Biodome, but he’s more than the character you remember from those films and MTV, and it comes out in this episode.

And I’m not sure whether this roundup will post before or after we get this show up on the feed, but David Cross returned to the Nerdist Podcast with his new movie Hits to promote, but there’s plenty about the possible return of Mr. Show (nothing OFFICIAL, but….), and the new movie is a springboard for a discussion of what fame has become in this age. He also talks about the difficulties he has with time management, needing to split time between the coasts and London and trying to coordinate with his wife’s equally busy schedule. Oh, and Hits is being released on a “Pay What You Want” basis, through BitTorrent and VOD and in theaters; the theatrical release is on February 12th, but listen to the show to hear the surprise David has planned for a random showing of the movie on the 13th.

]]>Mike and Tom Eat Snacks #92: Twizzlershttp://nerdist.com/mike-and-tom-eat-snacks-92-episode-92/
http://nerdist.com/mike-and-tom-eat-snacks-92-episode-92/#commentsMon, 02 Feb 2015 15:00:56 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?post_type=pepisode&p=223587Mike and Tom are back this week with a new snack!

Paul McCartney on the Nerdist Podcast. Sir Paul. Macca. I’m not going to go into detail here because you have to listen to the whole thing and you will, but you’ll get fascinating insight on the dichotomy between “regular life” and being an internationally recognized superstar (and if you’re on a New York bus and you see someone who you think kinda looks like Paul McCartney, it very well might be him). He also tells great stories, like about how the White Album became the White Album, and, of course, Matt Mira ends up asking a left-handed guitar question, because of course he would. It’s everything you want this episode to be. Go hear it now.

Martin Short on the Nerdist Podcast. Another great one. The guys go to his home, where Jonah gets some strong coffee and Martin tells of his SCTV and SNL experiences, his start in a Toronto production of Godspell with a cast packed with future comedy giants, and tales of poker with Johnny Carson and the genesis of Jiminy Glick and Ed Grimley. Hear it here.

Henry Winkler on the Nerdist Podcast. As Chris notes in his intro, Henry has the reputation of being one of the nicest people in Hollywood. Turns out, based on this episode, it’s true. You’ll hear about his make-or-break trip to Hollywood at 27 turned into stardom, and Night Shift (which leads to a discussion of Michael Keaton’s turn in Birdman), and meeting Mick Jagger. And you’ll be moved by how he turned his son’s — and, he belatedly learned, his own — dyslexia into a book series for children to help them to read. Listen to it now.

Martin Starr and Thomas Middleditch on The Indoor Kids. Is it a Silicon Valley reunion when Martin, Thomas, and Kumail are all actually working on the second season as we speak? It’s not a reunion if they’re… okay, forget it. Emily and Kumail have Martin and Thomas in to talk gaming on set, and the discussion goes all over the place, from The Babadook to Destiny to board games and a round of “Make a Game a Holiday Thing.” Press PLAY now.

]]>Slacker Radio Adds a Best Of The Nerdist Station!http://nerdist.com/slacker-radio-adds-a-best-of-the-nerdist-station/
Mon, 15 Dec 2014 21:15:32 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=210486Hold on to your butts, legions of Nerdist faithful: Slacker Radio, a premiere online curatorial website that tailors song suggestions to your sonic proclivities, has just announced a Best Of Nerdist Station! Yes, that is right, the Nerdist Empire has a new alliance and it is one that we know will bring about many laughs and sundry other good tidings.

So, what are you waiting for? Download the Slacker app and stream for free right now! That way your next road trip or workday will be chock full of your favorite Nerdist shows all in one easy location. Huzzah!

]]>http://nerdist.com/mike-and-tom-eat-snacks-90-episode-90/feed/2This Week on the Nerdist Podcast Network: Peter Farrelly Wasn’t Dumb or Dumber, Colin Quinn Lied, and More…http://nerdist.com/this-week-on-the-nerdist-podcast-network-peter-farrelly-wasnt-dumb-or-dumber-colin-quinn-lied-and-more/
Sat, 15 Nov 2014 04:30:22 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=201223Most of North America’s gotten a little frigid this week, but the Nerdist Podcast Network was here to warm your… okay, we had a lot of good stuff this week, yet I’m not sure it would raise ambient temperatures THAT much. But with Peter Farrelly, Gilbert Gottfried, Colin Quinn, Jared Logan, and Sarah Thyre, among others, we provided plenty of laughs. Barbara Crampton provided the screams, Alex Riley and Booker T threw down, Chvrches made the music, and Mindy Cohn gave you The Facts of Life. Good week, this.

Peter Farrelly returned to the Nerdist Podcast to just hang out. Oh, and to promote the opening of Dumb and Dumber To, at a theater near you, check local listings. It’s a wide-ranging discussion that hits points like when Chris and Peter met (and I was there! TRUE FACT) and Peter and Matt Mira’s shocking concurrence on the merits of the Dave Matthews Band. Gilbert Gottfried also came by the Nerdist Podcast to try and rattle the hard-to-faze Chris and promote his own podcast, and the talk delves into classic comedy and I’ll repeat my approval of Gilbert having Joe Franklin on his show and talking here about the majesty of The Joe Franklin Show, and if you never saw that, oh, Lord, go seek it out, because television has never been more unintentionally surreal. The late Skip E. Lowe is the same deal. Awesome, truly. Also awesome was the Nerdist Podcast’s visit with Lauren Mayberry on Chvrches’ tour bus, with Doctor Who appreciation and a song added to boot.

If there’s a way to make an audio version of Colin Quinn‘s epic Twitter trolling, this week’s Lies with Sara Schaefer was it, with Colin taking advantage of the all-untruth format to claim to do other comics’ material because he can do it better, and the good ol days before smoking was a bad thing. More truthful, although the conversation went to strange places (and Europe. Is Europe strange?), was actress/writer/funny person Sarah Thyre on The JV Club.

]]>http://nerdist.com/mike-and-tom-eat-snacks-89-episode-89/feed/2This Week on the Nerdist Podcast Network: Tom Bergeron, Larry Charles, an All-Star Special, and Morehttp://nerdist.com/this-week-on-the-nerdist-podcast-network-tom-bergeron-larry-charles-an-all-star-special-and-more/
http://nerdist.com/this-week-on-the-nerdist-podcast-network-tom-bergeron-larry-charles-an-all-star-special-and-more/#commentsFri, 07 Nov 2014 23:00:09 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=199194What did we have on the Nerdist Podcast Network this week? Lots of interesting people and funny stuff. Examples? Tom Bergeron and Chris Hardwick bonding as only veteran hosts can bond on the Nerdist Podcast. TV and movie director Larry Charles getting all existential with Pete Holmes on You Made it Weird. And the all-star charity event hosted by Keegan-Michael Key for the Detroit Creativity Project. Good week.

Tom Bergeron and Chris have a lot in common — longtime TV show hosts, former radio guys, and even The Hollywood Squares, on which Chris guested in 2000. They talk about that, and radio, and old school children’s TV (I swear, it made this old-guy heart happy to hear Tom rag on Art Linkletter’s House Party). And there’s talk about meditation, silent film comedies, Tom’s final season of America’s Funniest Home Videos, and Paul Lynde, because of course.

You know Larry Charles’ work — Borat, Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm — and with Pete on YMIW, you got his deepest thoughts about life along with stories about working with Larry David (secretly, Charles says, a “caring person”) and on Bill Maher’s Religulous. Plus, you learned about Bob Dylan’s stab at comedy and the sage advice, “don’t do anything that makes you cringe.” (Too late for me. Save yourself.)

Six out of the seven Birthday Boys visited the Nerdist Podcast and it’s as chaotically funny as you’d hope, talking about bad jobs, working with Bob Odenkirk on their IFC TV show, Home Alone, and dick cakes. Listen and find out what kind of cake Chris would prefer to … well, not eat.

You wanna hear a variety show hosted by Keegan-Michael Key and featuring Marc Evan Jackson, Thomas Middleditch, Paget Brewster, Allee Willis, Sara Watkins, and Martin Starr’s band Common Rotation featuring Benmont Tench? That was the lineup for a special night at Largo at the Coronet in Los Angeles to benefit the Detroit Creativity Project last Saturday, and we had it as a special podcast by Monday. Listen and donate.

What’s more hilarious than death? Okay, practically everything, but on this month’s Hound Tall, Moshe Kasher took on that particular topic by bringing in mortician and author Catlin Doughty to face our own Kumail Nanjiani and Chelsea Peretti. Catlin’s smart and funny, Kumail and Chelsea are ditto, and it’s all pretty uniquely interesting and entertaining. And if you want more of the serious and comic in one convenient package, try this week’s Terrified, in which comedian Solomon Georgio talks about his difficult youth and how that affected how he relates to people and everything else, and then there’s porn talk. That’s range.

Friend of Nerdist Industries Shadi Petosky is always a great guest, and she came through again on this week’s edition of The JV Club. The show’s usual format of talking about the guests’ awkward youth years is especially compelling when the guest’s youth has a disconnect of sorts with her adulthood, and the trans experience is exactly that, so it’s fascinating to hear how Shadi has taken on that transition head on, insisting, “I have a continuity in my life. I didn’t pull down Facebook photos. I didn’t try to erase my history.”

]]>http://nerdist.com/this-week-on-the-nerdist-podcast-network-tom-bergeron-larry-charles-an-all-star-special-and-more/feed/1Mike and Tom Eat Snacks #88: Barnum’s Animals Crackershttp://nerdist.com/mike-and-tom-eat-snacks-88-episode-88/
http://nerdist.com/mike-and-tom-eat-snacks-88-episode-88/#commentsMon, 03 Nov 2014 15:00:54 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?post_type=pepisode&p=197716Mike and Tom are back with a new snack! And at a new time…

]]>http://nerdist.com/mike-and-tom-eat-snacks-88-episode-88/feed/2This Week On The Nerdist Podcast Network: Facts With Henry Rollins, Ron Perlman Returns, And More….http://nerdist.com/this-week-on-the-nerdist-podcast-network-facts-with-henry-rollins-ron-perlman-returns-and-more/
http://nerdist.com/this-week-on-the-nerdist-podcast-network-facts-with-henry-rollins-ron-perlman-returns-and-more/#commentsFri, 17 Oct 2014 22:00:12 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?p=192703Henry Rollins! Ron Perlman! M Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold! W. Kamau Bell! Wyatt Cenac! Jason Schwartzman! Wrestling champ Dean Ambrose! Hairy Otter! It was quite a week for the Nerdist Podcast Network. Here’s a rundown of what we had, and what you should go back and listen to right now:

One of the key reasons to subscribe to every podcast is that if you’re subscribed, you get surprised by things like Henry Rollins on Today We Learned. Yep. Rollins is, you know, ROLLINS, so while they get to the usual facts, it’s also Rollins colorfully talking about all kinds of things, starting right out with his realization that while “I’d like to think that I’m not a grouchy, crotchety old man, but maybe I am.” Shooting up cobra venom? Check. Rich people behavior? Yes. Dog food eating procedures? Covered. Ice cream? Certainly. It’s quite an hour and 23 minutes.

Ron Perlman‘s return to the Nerdist Podcast was a mutual admiration society meeting with Chris, with some great reminiscing about growing up in New York of the 1950s and the realizing that he was alive when some of the greatest icons ever — even Albert Einstein — were alive and active, and how things have changed to the point where kids don’t have the same kind of larger-than-life icons to admire. The conversation gets deep, but also makes room for poop jokes — you’ll learn what Shitstagram is.

A guy named Matt dropped by to visit The Indoor Kids. Okay, Matt is M Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold, who — surprise! — is into video games, and just happens to have a game of his own, released this week. It’s called Hail to the King: Deathbat, and it’s a mobile game based on his band’s music that, he says, feels like a console game. He talks about the process of working with developers and what the game is, and isn’t. And he talks about his favorite games, of course. Oh, and don’t talk to Emily about Emily the Strange.

On You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes, W. Kamau Bell (do NOT call him a “Gentle Giant”) and Pete talk about comedy, race, privilege, the fifth doctor in “4 out of 5 doctors,” the trouble(s) with Mad Men, and much more.

Jason Schwartzman, who’s possibly the Fifth Beatle equivalent for the Nerdist Podcast (the fourth Nerdist?), made a return visit to the mothership to chat with Chris about being outsiders as kids and how that’s affected them as adults, their mutual love of cover songs, Halloween costume plans (EVERYONE’s Star Lord this year), and time management.

The guys got to do a Hostful Nerdist Podcast this week, including Matt and Chris’ trip to The Home Depot together, Matt’s guitar collection in his new home, Jonah as Sasquatch, and Jack Palance on Believe It or Not!. Also, Hairy Otter, the t-shirt that spawned this episode’s name.

Have you tried Lies with Sara Schaefer yet? This week, the very funny Wyatt Cenac took his turn lying through his teeth, and we learned that his relationship with a certain highly controversial celebrity — who he didn’t know was controversial — was for show, only not for the show he thought it was. But I’m sure the desserts were worth the trouble.

Clarke Wolfe’s Sleepycast: The Official Sleepy Hollow Podcast featured actors Matt Barr and Neil Jackson, but there was more: David Naylor and Tracy Martinson came by to talk about the bonus features on the Season 1 DVD set. Again, if you’re a fan of Sleepy Hollow, you have to be listening. Subscribe already.

The Nerdist Writers Panel hosted Broadchurch (and American version Gracepoint) creator Chris Chibnall, who gave insight on writing for Doctor Who, working with Russell T. Davies, and writing plays, too. And comic Allen Strickland Williams did the Todd Glass Show, holding the banner high for people who use three names. (Ahem.)

More: Actress Noureen deWulf (Anger Management) talked about putting one over on your parents on The JV Club. Also, a surprise episode of Hound Tall with Moshe Kasher — it’s supposed to be once a month, but we got one when we weren’t expecting it — looked at polyamory with expert Christopher Ryan fending off jokes from panelists Nick Kroll and Nikki Glaser.

The Wrestling Compadres Slamcast continued its impressive run of top guests with the WWE’s Dean Ambrose, just in time for Hell in a Cell. Thrilling Adventure Hour offered its panel from New York Comic-Con — the next best thing to being there — while Kevin and Steve talked about living together — sharing living space, that is — on Chewin’ It with Kevin and Steve and director Nacho Vigalondo explained his job to Gil on The Mutant Season. And Mike and Tom — “the best in the snack game” — tried another classic Nabisco snack on Mike and Tom Eat Snacks.

]]>http://nerdist.com/this-week-on-the-nerdist-podcast-network-facts-with-henry-rollins-ron-perlman-returns-and-more/feed/1Mike and Tom Eat Snacks #87: Nilla Wafershttp://nerdist.com/mike-and-tom-eat-snacks-87-episode-87/
http://nerdist.com/mike-and-tom-eat-snacks-87-episode-87/#commentsMon, 13 Oct 2014 15:30:06 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?post_type=pepisode&p=190992Mike and Tom decide to give a certain company another chance with a new snack…

]]>http://nerdist.com/mike-and-tom-eat-snacks-87-episode-87/feed/2Mike and Tom Eat Snacks #86: Kind and Strong Barshttp://nerdist.com/mike-and-tom-eat-snacks-86-episode-86/
http://nerdist.com/mike-and-tom-eat-snacks-86-episode-86/#commentsMon, 06 Oct 2014 19:00:05 +0000http://www.nerdist.com/?post_type=pepisode&p=188749Mike and Tom get sent a special snack. Will they like it?!